The Farr Side: Another round for ‘A Star is Born’

Thursday

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good movie. But sitting in a crowded theater doesn’t appeal much to me. Give me a comfy chair or my couch and some popcorn and now you’re talking.

I like to laugh with a great comedy or learn from a moving drama. I love biopics, too. But movies with music, an alluring storyline and well-developed characters will get me every time.

For the past year, I’ve heard incredible things about a reboot of “A Star Is Born,” which is set for U.S. release in October.

It will be the fourth incarnation of the iconic film. The first was in 1937 and starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. It got new life in 1954 with Judy Garland and James Mason as leads. The third was the 1976 film starring Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand.

Some may have argued Garland and Mason would have been hard to top, but Kristofferson and Streisand did a superb job as John and Esther.

The premise of each version is basically the same. An established male rock ‘n’ roll star meets and falls with a new rising talented female singer. Her career is blossoming while his begins to fade.

Each adaptation has been successful, whether as a musical (’37) or a drama (’54, ’76). Each reboot was adapted to reflect its time.

Is it time for “A Star Is Born” to return? According to Bradley Cooper, it is. He’s throwing everything he’s got into the project, knowing many of his colleagues and industry bigwigs didn’t think he should try.

This movie stars Cooper, but it also marks his directorial debut. So there’s a lot riding on this. And, mind you, he is not a singer. Well, he wasn’t before now, I should say. He plays the role of Jackson, an alcoholic rock star.

Cooper was searching for a female lead. Lady Gaga showed interest, auditioned and got the part. She plays Ally, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter.

I like Cooper a lot. He’s made some good movies over the past 10 years. And Gaga is an extraordinarily talented vocalist. He made her wipe her makeup off when they started. Brilliant! It stripped off everything about her and exposed a necessary rawness needed for this role.

Cooper co-wrote the script with Eric Roth and Will Fetters. He and Gaga developed an awesome friendship while filming the movie. He had worked on lowering his voice for a year and singing in front of people. Gaga can sing anything, as she proved numerous times in her career, but the vulnerability of her for this is remarkable.

I was thrilled to learn there is a new set of original songs for the movie, which will just ignite on the big screen. It’s sure to get “Oscar” buzz. I can’t wait. It just might get me off the couch and into the theater.— David T. Farr can be reached at farrboy@hotmail.com.

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